Andrena (Micrandrena) tiaretta Warncke, 1974

Dardón, María José, Torres, Félix & Ornosa, Concepción, 2014, The subgenus Andrena (Micrandrena) (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) in the Iberian Peninsula, Zootaxa 3872 (5), pp. 467-497 : 494-495

Andrena (Micrandrena) tiaretta Warncke, 1974

Andrena tiaretta Warncke 1974:38 (Holotype examined)

Diagnosis. Individuals of this species are characterized by the integument of the scutum having a dull microsculpture, without obvious PPs. In the female, the marginal zones are little marked and broad, occupying 0.4 times the length of the terga. The male genitalia are unique among the species of the subgenus Andrena (Micrandrena) in the Iberian Peninsula.

Redescription based on paratype. Female: Body length 6 mm. The integument is brown and the pubescence is whitish to gray.

Head: The genal area has a clear microsculpture with a striated appearance in the apical half. The vertex also has a dense microsculpture with a rough appearance. The frons and paraocular area have striated ornamentation and are impunctate. The area bounded by the apical margin of the compound eye, the lateral ocellus, and the top edge of the occiput has a microsculpture. The facial fovea is narrowed by 0.3 at its lower zone, with the top two times wider than the bottom; additionally, it is covered with a short velvety pubescence of a whitish-grey and iridescent color. The antennae are brownish-orange, and are slightly darker on the A1, A3≈A4+A5. The clypeus is more or less convex with the central area flattened, and has a dull microsculpture, with dense PPs, E=0.5, that are more scattered in the central part, E=1–2, with an impunctate longitudinal line in the middle. The process of labrum is surrounded by yellowish hairs, is longer than wide, and its base is widest at the apical part, occupying 0.25 of the lower margin of the clypeus (a little smaller in some individuals). The head has a whitish-grey, plumose pubescence that is not longer than the length of A1, except in the distal zone of the genal area where the hairs are longer. In some paratypes, scarce brown hairs are present on the vertex and paraocular area, and in the lower margin of the clypeus, there are some scarce long yellowish hairs.

Mesosoma: The whole pronotum has a dull microsculpture and PPs that are not clear but dense, E=1. The scutum and scutellum are entirely covered with a dull microsculpture and shallow PPs that are densely arranged, E=0.5–2, but in some individuals they are more scattered (resembles A. minutuloides , however, the space between PPs is not bright). The mesepisternum also has a shiny microsculpture, with dense and bulky PBHs with whitish hairs that reach the length of A1. The metanotum has a rough and impunctate microsculpture. The basal area of propodeum is decorated with coarse striations, without a defined propodeal triangle but at about 0.2 of the horizontal area to the posterior zone of the propodeum there is a fine granular sculpture. The rest of the propodeum has a smooth microsculpture, and the PBHs are small, not bulky, and scarce, with simple hairs. The wings are smoked, and at rest reach the apex of the metasoma. The veins are a pale brown, and the legs are a paler hue than the rest of the body. The internal surface of the basitarsus has a yellow pubescence. The mesosoma has hairs that are the same color as the body, and on the sides of the scutum and scutellum they are shorter.

Metasoma: T1 has a dull microsculpture, a fringe of hair on the sides, and is impunctate, without marginal zones. T2–T4 have a microsculpture (on the disc and the marginal zone) that is more dense at the base of the disc, and the PPs are restricted to the sides of the disc, over the dorsolateral convexity. The marginal zones are lightly marked, especially T2, where it is difficult to differentiate, and the depressions are wide and occupy 0.4 times the length of the terga. The metasomal bands of whitish hair are widely discontinuous, and dispersed only in the apex of the central part, while on the sides they are located throughout the length of the marginal zone.

Male: Body length 5–6 mm. The integument is dark brown. The pubescence is of a whitish color, and is more or less dense. In general, the male is similar in morphology to the female.

Head: The antennae are dark brown, and the A3 is slightly longer than the A5. The clypeus is as in the female, but it is impunctate in the middle, without a longitudinal line (some specimens from Israel have a smooth integument). The process of labrum is almost quadratic, with a weak notch in the central area, and occupying, at its base, 0.3 of the lower margin of the clypeus. It is surrounded by slender whitish hairs. The pubescence of the head is whitish and a little dense, with some brown hairs intermingled, especially in the paraocular area (in individuals from Algeria and Spain the brown hairs also appear in the upper genal area, while in specimens of other regions they do not exist). The lower zone in the genal area and clypeus has a whitish pubescence that is much longer than the length of A1.

Mesosoma: The scutum is as in the female, but with more isolated and irregular PPs, E=1–7. In individuals from Algeria and Spain, the scutum and scutellum have long brown hairs intermingled with a short pubescence. The basal area of propodeum has ornamentation that is more delicate than in the female. The wings are as in the female. The legs are brown, with the basitarsus, mediotarsus, distitarsus, and tarsal claw being paler with a whitish pubescence, except on the inner side of the basitarsus, where it is yellow.

Metasoma: The metasoma is as in the female, with the posterior depressions being more marked than in the female, although not as strongly as in the males of Andrena spreta Perez, 1985 . The metasomal bands are scarce and widely discontinuous in T2 and T3, and almost complete in T4. The male genitalia have a penis valve slightly widened at the apex, while the gonostylus is clearly elongated.

Comment. This species is very similar to A. spreta but, in the case of the female, A. tiaretta has a larger marginal zone and PPs that are not as obvious in the scutum. The male genitalia of A. tiaretta are completely different than A. spreta .

Specimens examined. Holotype: Algeria: Tiaret, 1 ♂, undated, OLINZ. Paratype: Algeria: Algeria, undated, 1 ♀, OLINZ; Algeria, 1 ♀, 24-V-1910, Bequaert, J. leg., OLINZ; Algeria, 1 ♂, 28-III-1890, OLINZ; Algeria, South, undated, 1 ♂, OLINZ; Birmandreis, 1 ♂, 24-III-1910, Bequaert, J. leg., OLINZ; Foret de Baïnen, 1 ♀, 9-VI-1919, Bequaert, J. leg., OLINZ; Noiseux - Oran, 1 ♀, 19-IV-1910, Bequaert, J leg., OLINZ; Oran, Sa Cruz, 1 ♀, 07-IV- 1910 / 1 ♂, 09-IV-1910, Bequaert, J. leg., OLINZ. Egypt: Hedjaz, 1 ♀, II-1937, Medina leg., OLINZ. Israel: Ramleh, undated, 3 ♂ and 4 ♀, OLINZ. Libyia: Cirenaica, Cyrene, 1 ♂, 26-III-1954 / 1 ♀ and 1 ♂, 02-IV-1954, Guichard, B., OLINZ. Morocco: Tánger, undated, 1 ♀ and 3 ♂, OLINZ; Fez. Dj. Zalagh., 1 ♂, 25.III.1923, OLINZ. Syria: Damascus, 1 ♀, 02-V-1952. Seidenstücker leg., OLINZ. Other material: Iberian Peninsula: Spain: Almería: Sierra Alhamilla, Lucainena, 1 ♀, 25-IV-2003, Halada, J. leg., MJ. Dardón det., OLINZ. Cadiz: Algeciras, 30 Km. SW, Punta Tarifa, 1 ♀, 02-V-2003, Halada, J. leg., MJ. Dardón det., OLINZ; Estepona, near the river, 1 ♀, 1-11-IV-1985, Wolf, H. leg., OLINZ; Palomas, near Algeciras, 2 ♂, 7-IV-1985, Schacht, W. leg., OLINZ. Granada: Sierra Nevada, Env. Lanjarón , 9 ♀, 04-V-2003, Halada, J. leg., MJ. Dardón det., OLINZ; Sierra Nevada, Ohanes env., 3 ♀, 05-V-2003, Halada, J. leg., MJ. Dardón det., OLINZ. Málaga: Ronda, 20 Km. NE, 1 ♀ and 3 ♂, 30-IV-2003, Halada, J. leg., MJ. Dardón det., OLINZ, at 1000 masl; Yunquera, 40 Km W., 11 ♀ and 1 ♂, 29-IV-2003, Halada, J. leg., MJ. Dardón det., OLINZ, at 800 masl.